I Know You Like Me
by Cherrysinger
Summary: I was perfectly content reading my trashy book that morning, same as I always did. Very normal, right? The next thing I know I'm onstage and he shows up, dark and handsome and looking unbelievably FINE...someone please pinch me.
1. Induction

Summary: She was perfectly content reading her trashy book that morning, same as she always did. Very normal, right? The next thing she knew she was onstage and he showed up looking unbelievably gorgeous...damn.

_August 22, 2007  
_**Part One**  
Induction

Sighing, Sakura stretched and laid her head back onto the grass, novel propped on one knee. She thought smugly of her clever plan to hide the atrocious cover behind a book on animal rights – the last time she had read a romance book in public, she almost got her head bitten off by furious mothers tugging their curious children away.

_Electric blue eyes bore into my back, and I could feel the hair on my arms rising. Did I not say that the man was gorgeous? I shivered as I thought back to the sensation of his hand sliding over my arm, lips descending onto mine..._

_He was close. So close. Lost in my ramblings, I did not realize that he had moved. His chest pressed into my back and all of a sudden I was overwhelmed when his breath fanned over my neck. With a rush of lightheadedness I realized that he was going to—_

The book was snatched away. Sakura blinked, stupefied and left staring at the cloudless sky. Coming back to her senses when a snicker invaded her ears, she launched up and sputtered in outrage.

"Excuse me! I was reading that..." she trailed off as she was met with familiar violet eyes.

"Hnh, trust _you _to be at the park reading on a day like this." Eyebrows rising, Tomoyo looked down at the animal rights book she had taken, before bending down to pick up the novel that had fallen on the grass. She snorted in amusement as she glanced at the rippling man on the cover.

"What are you here?" Sakura exclaimed, eyes sliding down to focus on her book. The tall redhead rolled her eyes and grasped her wrist, fingernails digging in and pulling her in the general direction of the parking lot. Pressing her heels into the soft grass, Sakura yanked her arm back and frowned, "Tomoyo, what are you doing? And, now that I think about it, I was just getting to the really good part of my book."

Tomoyo swung around, eyebrows raised in a cross between amused and incredulous.

"My dearest friend, in case you've forgotten, today you promised to come to the festival with Chiharu and I. But you don't show up, and surprise, surprise, I find you here reading. Good thing I made Chiharu stay in the car."

Sakura blinked. Festival? A vague memory of her working furiously on her English essay with Tomoyo at lunch surfaced; she relented.

"I apologize?" she half smiled and half grimaced, not knowing what else to say. Tomoyo simply shrugged and resumed tugging her to the parking lot.

"It's fine now...besides, Chiharu and I have a favour to ask you." By now they had arrived at the sleek black car, and her friend of eight years turned, gravel crunching beneath her heels and eyes glinting. Eyes wide, Sakura backed up and brought hands in front of her in a futile defense.

"No way. No. Whatever it is, it already feels bad."

"Actually, you don't have a choice, Sakura," she crowed, before opening the door and pushing her in, sending her tumbling into the backseat and into Chiharu's restraining arms.

* * *

Trying to pry whatever it was she had to do was like pulling teeth. Only, Sakura couldn't get whatever it was out of either one of her friends, and finally had to settle for reading her relinquished book for the ride – but the mood was ruined and not even electric blue eyes or the kiss of an angel could get her excited.

The car suddenly jerked to a stop and she resolved to remain aloof. As she stepped out of the car, however, she felt the tremor of music in the ground, smelt the delicious scent of fast food, saw the cheerful decorations, and firmly told herself to remain strong. Some of the resolve broke.

Moving her head absentmindedly to the beat of the music, she barely noticed as her friends led her through the carnival.

"We're late," Chiharu groaned. "It's already started. This is all Sakura's fault."

Tomoyo chewed on her lip for a moment.

"It doesn't matter. They haven't seen anything yet, at least not until Sakura arrives and blows them away,"

Sakura's head stopped moving.

"_What?" _she exclaimed, eyes going from each of her friends to the other. They both smiled guiltily.

"Well, we sort of...entered you into this show. It's the highlight of the whole festival! Regular people sign up when they get here and dance, sort of like a 'by the people, for the people' kind of thing, but we signed you up beforehand. Tomoyo has connections," Chiharu shrugged. Then her eyes narrowed as Sakura choked and frantically shook her head. She placed a hand on her back, more forcefully than was necessary. "Of _course, _you're not going to back out now are you? Don't forget we saved your ass with that English essay and the fact that you forgot to even come to this festival when you said you would."

"I think you owe us," Tomoyo singsonged along, smirking.

"But you know I don't do these kinds of things! God, what kind of whore dancing is even going...on..." she trailed, mouth parting in a gasp as she took in the swarm of screaming people coming into view, jumping up and down in front of a booming stage. They emerged behind the stage, and she could see the short line of people waiting to go on. A strong beat ran through the ground -- the source of the faint tremors she had felt when she arrived at the carnival. Unconsciously, her finger started tapping to it, but when she realized she shoved that hand into her jean pocket.

A hand found its way onto her shoulder.

"Look, I know it's a bit much."

"You think?" Sakura retorted sarcastically, immediately regretting it. Tomoyo smiled understandingly.

"Honestly, I'm sorry we have to put you through this. But you've got talent, and it's time for other people to see that as well,"

"We're behind you. And look, they're screaming like crazy for that sucky girl on stage. Once they see you, they'll go insane." Chiharu pointed rather blatantly at said girl.

A nervous feeling climbed into the pit of her stomach, and her mind flashed back to all her dance lessons, falling or getting a move wrong, but getting back up again and nailing it the next time. Some of the dread abated. The way she saw it, there was no way out of this anyway. She wanted to make her friends proud...and, really, wasn't it for her own good? A ghost of a smile wafted over her face – maybe this was what they called an epiphany.

Not quite ready for words yet, she gave her friends a searching look, and then grinned gratefully. Sucking in a deep breath, she joined the line as they cheered noisily behind her.

_Sneak Peak:  
_

She whirled rapidly across the stage, counting the beats in her head, when out of nowhere, a firm arm caught her by the waist, and a warm breath caressed her throat. _What...? The song's barely started! _Eyes snapping open, she saw only dark, dark eyes before she was thrust away. She had no choice but to continue dancing, but her heart was pounding ten times faster now and her brain was filled with questions.

This man wasn't supposed to be here.

**A/N: **Yes, I said I was taking a break from fan fiction, but I couldn't help myself with this one! It was supposed to be for a contest but it turned out _far _too long for a one-shot. Yes, this was supposed to be a **one-shot**, so don't be surprised if it's a little fast-paced. I divided it into parts. This mini-story will be approximately 4 or 5 parts give or take…I've already written most of it.


	2. In Earnest

_August 26, 2007_

**Part Two****  
**In Earnest

Ten minutes later, she wasn't so sure about her decision. She was actually feeling a bit nauseous, and she swallowed as if it would help her from throwing up. Closing her eyes, she breathed shallowly through her nose – _but, really, what is my whole dancing career worth if I can't even do this? I have to make everyone who's ever helped me proud._

Then the announcer boomed,

"And the beautiful – although I'm not quite sure if she is, I haven't seen her yet – Dell-Bell is up next, dancing to Rihanna!"

Her face drained. Glancing at the line before her, she deducted that the empty space at the front must've been meant for her, because the guy currently in front of her hadn't even gone yet. She approached the steps to the stage.

The beginning of the song began playing, and she couldn't help but think that it was just too soon, too sudden, and too much.

"The best adventures start abruptly," she whispered to herself, echoing a voice of the past. Straightening her shoulders, she climbed up the rest of the stairs.

_Please don't stop the music_

_Please don't stop the music_

And then, just like that, she was onstage, the lights blinding her but the beginning to a delicious feeling building in her veins. Taking a deep breath, she twisted her leg in a subtle move and turned so that her back was facing the audience.

_Please don't stop the music_

A new, grindy beat started up and she ran a hand through her hair, swinging her hips a little bit and sending a flirtatious look over her shoulder. Her mind was finally clear.

_Please don't stop the music._

She pivoted on one foot, her shoulders and hips already sliding in a move that drove everyone crazy. Gliding sideways, she moved her hands to her ribs, right above her stomach, and danced against an imaginary person. Holding both hands up over her head, she went down low and came back up again, before sweeping off to the very front of the stage. The crowd screamed, and she smiled.

_It's getting late  
I'm making my way all the time  
My favourite place  
I gotta get my body moving  
Shake the stress away _

Closing her eyes, she choreographed in her head, and her whole body moved to accomodate. She whirled rapidly across the stage, counting the beats in her head, when out of nowhere, a firm arm caught her by the waist, and a warm breath caressed her throat. What...? The song's barely started! Eyes snapping open, she saw only dark, dark eyes before she was thrust away. She had no choice but to continue dancing, but her heart was pounding ten times faster now and her brain was filled with questions.

This man wasn't supposed to be here.

Biting her lip, she quickly made her way back to him and hoped he hadn't mucked everything up. Only to find she didn't even have to try. He was there, sliding across the floor with one knee raised and coming up flawlessly, dancing close to her in a sequence of moves so smooth it seemed as if it were all planned.

He was close, but not quite touching her. And for some reason, as his eyes flashed through her head, she wanted to be closer to him. Turning, she maneuvered until she was running a hand from his chest up, her eyes following. A strong jaw, masculine lips, unruly brown hair falling into his eyes. Her breath caught. Electricity flashed as their gazes finally met, smouldering brown and bright green.

A finger ran over his cheek, feeling his jaw clench.

But abruptly, she remembered that she wasn't here to fantasize about someone. This was a show, and they were on stage. Although she didn't know how he got there, what she did know was that both of them had to pull things off together now. She pushed him back with one hand.

_I wasn't looking for nobody when you looked my way  
Possible candidate, yeah_

Sakura relished the look of amused surprise on the stranger's face when she kept out of his reach as he tried to grasp her again. Pausing for a split second, she placed a hand on her hips and sent him a pretentiously haughty look, before flipping around and dancing at the center of the stage.

"Hello," a low voice came out of nowhere and laughed in her ear. A hand settled on her hip, and his thumb drew teasing circles that had her breathing a little harder and forcing herself to look unaffected. With a look that she didn't understand, she suddenly found herself being picked up and thrown into the air. At the last moment, she managed to turn it into a flip before landing breathlessly in his arms once again. Heat curled low in her belly.

It wasn't something that she would have ever done, so maybe it was the music or the adrenaline sweeping through her, because she had loved it. Now all she wanted to do was hear his voice again.

"Don't do that again," she whispered back, startled when she realized her face was so close that she could see his eyelashes. Moving her lower body away and leaving her upper body leaned towards him, she slid back with an arc of her hips.

_Who knew  
That you'd be here, be here looking like you do  
You make, and staying over here, impossible_

Rihanna's voice was fast and suggestive, but more than that, the under beat was driving, forcing her to move fast or stop dancing. Biting her lip, she realized that she couldn't even hear the crowd anymore – they had diminished to a dull roar in her ear. And a strange hunger was growing inside her. She was watching him as she danced, and he was beautiful. It looked like he was pouring all his energy into every move, and just knowing that he was only free styling, was amazing.

Her dance teacher always used to say that the way a person danced reflected who they were.

Unable to resist, she danced closer, and his gaze snapped almost immediately from the audience to her. A smile curled his lips, before he winked and evaded her touch.

_Baby, I'm saying your aura is incredible  
If you don't have to go, don't_

Her mouth dropped open slightly, but she soon closed it and smirked. Maneuvering herself until she was almost touching him, he reached out for her, but then she winked, sliding away and seeing the growing amusement on his face. And thus began a strange, evasive dance, both drawing close before moving away once again, eyes locked.

Her eyes left his as she watched a bead of sweat trail down his forehead before his hand came to wipe it away.

What she was feeling was so wrong, but so right. She couldn't help it. Deciding that she had enough, she stepped forward, drawing a hand out as if to pull a person to her, and, pretending that there was something invisible attaching them together, he slid into her arms.

He placed a hand on her lower back, fingers shifting beneath her shirt to rest against bare skin. A zing went through her even as she stiffened – but he didn't shift his hand anywhere else, and she relaxed. Still, the fire in her was only burning higher and then, all she could think about was getting closer. Her hand gripped his shoulder and she took a step.

"Syaoran." he whispered. "My name is Syaoran."

She stopped, stunned, but then continued to move her hips. _Syaoran,_ she tasted in her mind. She remembered reading somewhere that it meant 'dark one', but while he fit the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome, she could still see the emotion that burned in his eyes. No, he was definitely light. Drawing their bodies closer, he brought her chest flush against his, and watched her closely. Chills spread from that one spot, and she could feel every nerve that was in contact with his body.

"Sakura," she murmured back.

_Do you know when to start it?  
I just came here to party  
But now we're rockin on the dance floor, actin' naughty  
Your hands around my waist  
Just let the music play  
We're hand in hand just to dress and now we're face to face_

It was just the two of them now; dancing in front of a thousand people, but alone.

Feeling as if she would explode, she pivoted around in hopes that seeing something else, even if it was just the curtains of the stage, besides his face would make everything better. It did not. She only wanted him more now – and with that thought, she wrapped her hands around his neck and tilted her head back, meeting his gaze and feeling the most boldly reckless she ever had in her life. She slowly moved down until she was almost crouching, her hands bent above her head and trailing down the front of his shirt and back facing him.

His body immediately tensed, and the tight hold on her arm as he brought her up again told her everything she needed to know.

"Sakura," her name rolled over his tongue, and she smiled up at him. The chocolate deepened a shade. "Follow me." He molded their bodies together even closer than before. Holding her hand up and to the side, he guided her other hand to his shoulder and placed one her waist. Their legs mingled as he led her, and they began the tango, their moves sweeping and in tune.

Syaoran suddenly stopped near the back of the stage, but true to his nature, it was as smooth as could be. _Ready? _He asked her with one look.

_I wanna take you away  
Let's escape into the music, DJ let it play  
I just can't refuse it_

Sakura nodded, and almost immediately he took a firm hold on her thigh, swiftly drawing it up his side in one sensuous movement. His other hand buried itself in her hair, skimming over it and sliding his fingers down to her temple, at the same time as he was drawing her in. Her eyes were wide, but they sparked a fierce green.

In a quick, deft movement, his gaze softening, Syaoran turned his face to hers and trailed his lips down her cheek, his fingers following on the other side of her face, and in a stunning heartbeat, his lips brushed hers. He lingered, before slowly pulling away.

A sense of loss washed over her, but she forced herself to shake it off and move to her cue. She took his hand in hers and leaned back, sliding under his legs on her knees before coming out on the other side and sweeping up. Suddenly, in a guilty realization, she remembered the audience. The most important thing only a few minutes ago was only a passing thought now – her mind flashed back to all the dancers she had seen before, and how she'd loved it when they looked as if they weren't just dancing for themselves, but for the people watching as well.

Turning to the people watching her, she blew them a kiss and and couldn't stop a grin from lighting her face. They began chanting her name, the sound rising and swelling and filling her with elation.

A gentle hand grasped her hip from behind, and she turned around to see a dark eyebrow quirked over chocolate eyes. Quirking her own eyebrow, she turned around in his arms and used the hand on her hip to spin out and away from him, secretly wishing he would follow her.

The crowd diminished into a faint roar once again, but she just didn't care enough to stop it from happening.

_Like the way you do this  
Keep on rockin' to it  
Please don't stop the, please don't stop the music_

He was the one who left her this time. Shoulders moving smoothly, he glided away and turned from the audience, holding her captive with his unwavering stare.

Tilting her head back, she danced backwards. She felt so..._desirable. _Picking up speed, she made it all the way to the left of the stage, and then lowered herself smoothly onto the floor, using her momentum to slide back with one leg bent upwards. Then she lifted herself up, feeling her stomach burn from the effort. And suddenly, he was there, holding her hand softly and taking her back into the tango.

"Should've known I couldn't escape," she whispered to him, smiling. His eyes twinkled for a moment.

"I like your smile," he said in response, his voice low and sending a shiver sweeping through her. Fascinated, she watched the different colours in his eyes—the chocolate was mixed with a shot of amber that seemed unbelievably bright at that moment. And then they dropped to her mouth. Slowly, her smile faded.

_I wanna take you away  
Let's escape into the music, DJ let it play  
I just can't refuse it_

His eyes still locked on her lips, he suddenly mused,

"Do you believe in love at first sight?"

Startled, she didn't know how to respond. After a long pause filled only with the sounds of breathing, she shrugged, looking away. A finger tilted her head back up.

"Tell me, Sakura,"

When he said her name like that, she couldn't deny him. _Yes _was at the tip of her tongue, but, she'd never believed in love at first sight. So, why...? Pulse drumming and fire in her veins, she did the only thing she could at the moment – Sakura twisted her hips and, coordinating her feet, left him by himself. The emotion that flashed through his eyes at that moment made a flare of pain go through her, and she didn't want to look back at him after that.

Her hand slid behind her head and one to her hip, but at the same time, a steel band squeezed at her chest. She didn't want the heat in her veins to fade, and he made it roar. Her hand trailed down the side of her body. And she wanted that amber glint in his eyes as he stared at her...she was already regretting this. Glancing at him through the corner of her eye, a crazy idea formed.

Sweeping her feet across the floor to gain the speed she needed, she took off on one foot, sending her flying forward and into the air, legs spread into a split. Fear took hold of her when she began falling, and she thought nobody would catch her. But at the last moment, strong hands caught her and whirled her into a pair of arms. Relief came crashing through, and she wrapped a leg around his, pressing herself against him in her vigour.

Syaoran's chocolate eyes were wide, but slowly, comprehension dawned. He gave her a look, telling her silently that she didn't have to answer, at least not at the moment.

"Brilliant move," was all he murmured against her ear, and she felt her own lips curving into a smirk.

_Like the way you do this  
Keep on rockin' to it_

Legs locked, Syaoran led them both backwards. His hand was clasping one of hers, his other around her hip and drawing those delicious circles again. The crest of the music worked a frenzy into their movements, and although Sakura had never answered _the _question, they didn't care anymore.

Accidentally, she moved her shoulders in such a way that brought her pressing intimately into Syaoran for a second time. A small groan erupted from his throat, and his eyes looked like they were devouring her, yet never left her face. Flushing, the one thought that was flashing over and over again was that she wanted to get closer. Closer, and closer. It was her that initiated the tango this time; back and forth and alternating and perfect.

_Please don't stop the, please don't stop the  
Please don't stop the music_

Throwing her head back and dipping, she snapped back up into his embrace. He closed the distance between them so that their noses were almost touching, and she could see his eyes dilate, leaving a thin ring of brilliant russet. She moved closer. They were in the heat of the song; the music thrummed through her head, and she was sure her eyes looked the same as his did. As she moved, she forced herself to pass his lips, and simply grazed her cheek with his. But she couldn't stop the breathy sigh from escaping her mouth.

Syaoran stiffened. She had _moaned _right into his ear. He pulled her swiftly away from him so he could see her face to face, and she saw that look on his face again – hungry and intense.

_Baby are you ready cause it's gettin close  
Don't you feel the passion ready to explode?_

She wasn't sure what she wanted, but whatever it was, the ache was almost blinding inside her. Tendrils of hair whispered their way across her eyes, and Syaoran's tan hand came to tuck them away, fingers lingering on her cheeks. His face came closer, her breathing hitched and it all came rushing through her – and then she realized...

His dancing was amazing. It's what drew her to him in the first place, and they danced so smoothly together when it took her and her partner years to master being so in-tune with each other. But, in the end, that wasn't it. Not at all.

Her eyelids dipped down a bit. His breath fanned across her face and vaguely, she heard the audience fall completely silent.

_Sneak Peak: _

The world flashed around Sakura. Syaoran's clothes flew in and out of her vision as a dark blur; exhilaration rushed through her at the same time, leaving her light-headed and breathless.

Everything and nothing sparked the air around them. Gazing into his eyes, she thought that she could see his soul at that moment. Reserve, strength, kindness and then that dizzying height of passion. If she could freeze this moment in time she would – if it meant being with him, at that moment, forever.

* * *

**R&R. Go on. **(er, by the way, I don't quite know what I'm doing with the dance moves...so, eh, please don't blame me. This story is just a sort of side thing I got into, so I didn't mean for it to be accurate.


	3. You Don't Know

_August 31, 2007_**  
Part Three  
**Uncertain; You Don't Know

_What goes on between us no one has to know  
This is a private show_

"Do your job and dance!" someone suddenly hollered, her voice carrying over the song and shattering the haze the two had fallen in. Immediately, angry noise erupted from the crowd as they rushed to silence the one person, but the mood was broken. Inhaling sharply, Sakura pulled away and glanced up. An odd expression covered Syaoran's face, but he shook his head lightly, and took her hand.__

Abruptly swinging her around, a startled laugh erupted from Sakura's throat, and he gave her a slow smile.__

"They're not here, alright? Pretend a skirt is spinning around you," he whispered, before pulling her close. Closing her eyes, she imagined herself in a deep green dress the exact shade of her eyes, and it flirted deliciously around her legs. Breathing in, her mouth tilted in a dreamy ghost of a smile. She opened her eyes and trailed her finger across his shoulder and down his back, pushing into him for a brief moment before using his body as a leverage to move and dance away.__

Do you know when to start it?  
I just came here to party  
But now we're rockin on the dance floor, actin' naughty

An arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her back from leaving. Her nerves were freezing and flaming at the same ..._two fires burning together._

"You can't leave me now, the song's almost ending," he murmured playfully, eyes half-lidded.

"_You _can't leave _me," _she grinned into his chest, and, abandoning all thought, lifted her head and pressed a kiss against his neck. A shudder ran through him. She felt unbelievably close to him as he tightened his grip on her, and she wasn't sure if it was because of their proximity or something else.

Simultaneously, almost without conscious thought, their hands laced together, leaving the other free. Turning to face the crowd, Syaoran started dancing gracefully and Sakura responded, moving her hips and bringing her free hand to her ribs. She turned her head in a dramatic move, hair whipping around her face.__

Green caught amber and something flashed between the two. Their hands alternated, left clasping right, then right clasping left, alternating in a quick pattern and punctuated with dazzling steps.__

Your hands around my waist  
Just let the music play  
We're hand in hand just to dress and now we're face to face

Panting, Sakura flew back around to face Syaoran, her right hand now clasping his and bringing her winding tight into him. With some sense of disappointment she recalled his previous words – it was true, the song was ending, and they were at the final crest of it. But the beat was still strong and intoxicating – lacing through the ground and flowing up into their bodies.__

Sweat glistened on his brow as he looked down at her, and she examined the high cheekbones accented by his chaotic dark hair. She opened her mouth, but then a single finger came to touch her lips softly, silencing her almost. Syaoran tilted his head to the side and gazed at her from half-lidded eyes.

_Just us now._ _For real._

Sliding her arm up his, she revelled at the feeling of smooth skin sliding across smooth skin, and he gave her a small smile before hooking his leg behind hers and tangling the two. Her breath hitched audibly.

_Please don't stop the music  
_  
With a start, she realized that the last hook was over and Rihanna's voice was easing into the ending, the music coming out in a more prominently, punctuated when her voice paused at intervals. One glance at Syaoran's face told her that he had noticed as well. Bending down, he brushed a kiss across her forehead and then nudged her hips with his. She responded by moving her arms, but then both started picking up pace, faster, faster, faster...

She was dancing so quickly, her movements edged in an abandon that almost bordered on chaotic, but between the both of them, it turned into an art—an aggressive play unfolding. The world flashed around Sakura. Syaoran's clothes flew in and out of her vision as a dark blur; exhilaration rushed through her at the same time, leaving her light-headed and breathless.

_Please don't stop the music_

Without conscious thought, both of them slowed as Syaoran came back to her. The world seemed to pause and stutter, as if it were moving through a thick syrup and struggling to get through.

Sakura slid a leg from underneath her in a sudden move, and he gave her a slow smile. Lips curling of their own accord, she grabbed his hand and pressed both of them to her chest, a sense of urgency coming over her.__

Please don't stop the music

Everything and nothing sparked the air around them. Gazing into his eyes, she thought that she could see his soul at that moment. Reserve, strength, kindness and then that dizzying height of passion. If she could freeze this moment in time she would – if it meant being with him, at that moment, forever. __

Please don't stop the music.

Then his lips were close, and she watched them approach before smiling faintly and telling herself to just go with the flow. A warm mouth finally pressed against hers for the briefest heartbeat, a tingling touch that meant a thousand words but said none. When he pulled back, she caught a glimpse of stormy eyes streaked with amber lightning...

_"Ladies and gentlemen_, that was Dell-Bell and, quite unexpectedly, Syaoran! Give a huge round of applause! They were amazing."

She would never forget this song.

An undecipherable emotion was in his eyes as he held her, now an arms length apart with his hands on her arms and hers cradling his wrists. Awkwardness filled her as they stood there, still in the middle of the stage and the faint tremors of whatever it was filling them.

Syaoran coughed at the same time as she shifted her feet. Disappointment sunk into her, but she gave a hesitant smile to him, her grasp on him tightening a bit.

"Um, we sort of need you guys to get off so that the next performer can get on," the announcer blared.

Slowly, his arms lowered, and her hands fell from his wrists, sliding down to rest at her side. Turning around, her eyes unconsciously moved to the side to glance at him, but she stopped herself just in time and forced her body to walk to the edge of the stage, amidst loud clapping and cheering. Descending down the stairs, she touched the ground, and the world rushed back at her. She took a deep breath – it seemed so surreal now that the heat of the song was over. Or, maybe she just didn't want to face reality now that her time was up.

Remembering his immobile form and his eyes closing off from her after the last of the song faded, she was hit with a pang. _He's probably done this a million times before, _she thought sadly, the memory of his smooth dancing surfacing in her mind. Call her a coward, but the last thing she wanted now was to turn around to find him behind her. But that didn't mean that she was going to burst into tears...still, the urge to get as far away as possible was getting more and more stifling.

Straightening her shoulders and fisting her right hand to stop it from trembling, she blindly walked forward, before spotting the almost deserted stands of the rest of the carnival. Abandoning all pretence, she raced towards them.

_Almost there, Sakura..._

A prickle at the back of her neck began ominously. Shivering, she half hoped and half dreaded that the person watching her was Syaoran. However she made it without anyone interrupting her, and she touched the side of a red and white striped stall to solidify the fact that it was real. Sakura wasn't sure whether to feel miserable or relieved. Sighing, she picked up a plodding pace through the broken cups and wrappers on the ground, feeling strangely abandoned as the wind blew past her.

-

As she wandered aimlessly, the bright tip of a ride came into view. It looked oddly familiar. Like an old and faded photo, it prickled her memory so that she didn't so much as deliberate while deciding what to do. Picking up her pace, she rounded the corner and found herself faced with her favourite childhood ride – the swings. Not the park swings; these were all arranged into a circle and when in motion, the ride lifted all of them up while spinning, fanning them out.

A small, half-hearted smile lit her face, and she jogged her way to it.

"Hey, you're Dell-Bell right?" a voice interrupted. She slowed down in surprise, but then returned to jogging her way towards the ride, hoping to give off the impression that she hadn't heard him. But when the voice called out a second and a third time, she finally, albeit reluctantly, stopped. A group of five guys were watching her as she turned around to stare blankly at them.

"Yeah, I'm Sakura," she answered, inwardly wondering _why _Tomoyo and Chiharu had to give her that particular alias.

"We saw your performance," A boy with a black toque on and blond hair peaking out from underneath it exclaimed, and then, for some reason, sticking a foot out in front of him. Sakura sent them a questioning look, but wasn't met with another response.

"Okay," she nodded, sending them a strange looks.

"Nice job by the way," his friend acknowledged, cool brown eyes appraising her. _But not the same brown as Syaoran, _she thought, then grimaced.

She cleared her throat.

"Okay, thanks," Sakura gave an impatient look towards the swing ride, hoping that they got the hint. _Clearly _they didn't because right after, the whole group erupted into laughter.

"You know, we can dance too. Really well actually," the toque boy was back, this time wiggling the foot sticking out in front of him, raising his eyebrows. Sakura's own eyebrows shot up, and she took a wary step back.

"Want to teach us some moves?" A blue-eyed companion asked, and lifted a foot as well, before alternating and doing some sort of jig.

"Yeah, you could be like a dance teacher,"

"See, we can do the hokey pokey!"

By this time Sakura thought they were downright crazy. Casting them a dismayed look, she gave a hesitant laugh that was distinctly fake, before turning around and shooting a hurried farewell behind her shoulder. Jeering laughter trailed after her. Shuddering creepily to herself, she headed for the ride she was going to go on before. Boys. They never did change did they; especially not pimply adolescent boys who had just hit puberty. Glancing up, she realized that she was actually in front of the ride, where a clearly bored college student was half asleep, with a cigarette hanging loosely between her fingers.

"Excuse me, miss?" she asked, throwing glances over her shoulder. "Is this ride still open?"

The woman glanced up, surprised, and her eyes widened before she took her cigarette out of her mouth and deposited it on the floor, crushing it with her sneaker.

"Yeah," she nodded. "You can go in; I'll start the ride when I've checked that you've buckled in properly,"

"Um, don't I have to give you a ticket?" Sakura questioned, her mood falling even further; she hadn't bought any. But the woman only waved her hand in dismissal, before nodding to the ride, ponytail swishing.

"You're one of the performers. They get to do everything in the carnival for free—and I especially remember you dancing with that sizzling guy. Fantastic show, by the way. Some friends came over and told me about it, so I had to sneak a little to watch."

"Thanks," she smiled oddly, feeling warmed at the compliment yet trying to ignore the odd twinge her stomach gave when she heard her describing Syaoran. Opening the entrance gate. she walked in and took a seat, pulling the bar down and buckling it. The young woman came inside to check, nodding at her.

With a small roar of the engine, the swings lifted and began spinning, faster and faster, and Sakura closed her eyes. The wind rushed through her hair, and she felt adrenaline rushing through her as well, but it wasn't the same.

Syaoran. That slow smile, that messy hair. And his beautiful eyes.

No.

Wrenching her thoughts away, she tried to think of something—anything—else. Abruptly, Skye and Sherry came to mind. She clenched the chains of the swing harder, feeling guilty. They were the ones who signed her up for this thing, and she hadn't even thought about them once until now. Still, as much as she tried, she couldn't bring herself to leave behind the little bit of peace she had at the moment.

Tilting her head up and opening her eyes, a dizzying blue sky opened up and spun in her vision. Smiling a little, she kicked her feet.

Love at first sight...did she believe it? She'd always told everyone, very matter-of-factly, that it was lust at first sight. Well, that had just been dumped upside down. Maybe she was caught up in the song, and the thrill of being on stage in front of a live audience. But, then again, she really did forget them when she was up there.

She broke a lot of dancing rules during the time she was on stage, but she couldn't do anything about it now, and neither did she regret it. Although she wanted to be a brain surgeon, and wouldn't give up on that dream, she always felt like something more was out there for her. All she had to do was find it.

She shook her head wryly. What was she doing, thinking of these things?

Coming back to her senses, she found herself being lowered and the quiet humming of the engine.

"Um, excuse me?" Sakura called, not wanting to move just yet, "Could I go again?"

The woman nodded, ponytail swinging, before warning her to hang on (although there wasn't really any need). Sakura had already shut her eyes, and her thoughts were already wandering. If she hadn't, she would've seen a figure rushing to the woman and speaking to her quickly, before swinging open the gate and making their way towards the swing beside her.

_Preview:_

"Shut up. Don't regret it, because I don't." Holding her breath, she wondered if he understood the full implications of her sentence.

He did. His eyes widened and a faint flush rose in his cheeks. Moving closer, he seemed to hover uncertainly for a moment, before lowering their locked hands and leaning his forehead on hers until all they could see was each other.

"Adelle," he breathed, "What are you saying?"

-

**A/N: **Ugh. The format keeps getting messed up, so tell me if something's off.

Anyway, lol, I got a lot of reviews telling me that the last chapter was really 'intense' and R-rated like...but actually, when you come down to it, this story is actually pretty innocent past the dancing part. You'll see ;)

Eh, since I just found out I'm not allowed to do review responses in author's notes, I'm really sorry I can't respond to you right now! But, what I _can _do is answer some common comments you guys have (heh, 'common comments'):

_Comment: _The chemistry between Sakura and Syaoran was great! It seemed really intense.

_Answer: _Well...as I said before, I got that a lot. And, thank you! I was trying to make that happen. Er, it was sorta hard for me to write the dancing scene because honestly, I didn't really have any idea as to what I was doing, and not to mention I was blushing my head off at the intense scenes! So, it's great knowing that I pulled it off...somehow...

Lol and that's pretty much it!

Anyway, I'm getting pretty lonely...not too many reviews are coming my way. There are people who've added me to their fav's or their author alert's list but haven't reviewed! I don't really mind, but, seeing as I like reviews (they keep me going), I think that if my story is worth that much to you, could you at least drop a 'plz update soon' my way? Even just that would make my day. Thanks xD


	4. Like Me?

_October 5, 2007_

**Part Four  
**Like Me?

Once again, she was raised and spinning to -- well, to oblivion it felt like. She'd forgotten why she loved this ride so much; it felt like she was flying, or as close to flying as she could get.

"Hey."

Her eyes snapped open and she almost fell out, head swinging wildly. That voice was -- she found him. He was to her right, and smiling hesitantly at her, the wind flattening his hair and making it stick up at the same time.

"A-Syaoran," was all she could manage. Her thoughts were all in disorder, but she inhaled deeply and told herself to stop acting like a fool. When she turned towards him again, she had somewhat composed herself, though the amused look in his dark eyes threw her off again. "You always seem to turn up when I least expect it."

He shrugged, eyes averted.

Sakura sat there awkwardly, air rushing past her and blowing wisps of hair into her face.

"Um, listen...Sakura. Your dancing is amazing; I haven't seen anybody that's co-ordinated their moves in a freestyle that well in a long time," he said honestly. Sakura bit her lip in an attempt not to grin, but no matter how long she tried to peer into his eyes, he didn't yield what he was thinking.

"Thanks," she murmured, looking down at the dizzying ground. Inside, her heart was plunging...she should've known that it would all be over once they returned to being themselves. _He's still amazing, _she sighed. "I really thought you were going to steal the show from me, so I wasn't too thrilled when you showed up," she smiled slightly back at him.

"Mm, really? It's more like the other way around,"

"Why _were _you there anyway?"

"Magic," he whispered secretively, cupping a hand around his mouth.

"That's so lame," she retorted dryly, but had to turn the other way to hide the smirk tugging at her mouth. "No, really, why were you there?"

"Well...that is to say..." he ruffled his hair sheepishly. "Alright, that was a total mistake. I thought it was my turn and when I went up I saw this beautiful girl flying towards me and --"

Both of them stopped and stared at each other, suspended on that ride, higher than the trees and soaring to the clouds.

Suddenly a smile burst over Sakura's face.

"I'm glad you think so, sir,"

Brown eyes containing the faint beginnings of gold sparks lit up and she knew that even if he wasn't actually smiling, his soul was.

_His __**soul **__was? You are turning into a sap, Sakura. _She scoffed to herself, but she was on a roll and couldn't seem to stop.

"And what about you, miss?"

"I beg your pardon, but I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I think you know exactly what I'm talking about. Were you dazzled by my glorious mane of hair, flashing eyes and—"

"Alright, alright. I get the point," she broke in, mostly because everything he said sounded positively ridiculous but was most embarassingly true. "I suppose you were decent, Syaoran."

"That wounds me like a bullet to the heart," the sparks were growing brighter now, but there was a content, almost soft, look in those eyes as well. "I wish I could touch you, Sakura," he murmured quietly and suddenly. Sakura blinked at the sudden turn of topic, laughing weakly in an automatic attempt to bring back the light atmosphere from before...but the look in his eyes didn't waver and her laughter quickly died.

"I..." she bit her lip, and his eyes dropped to them—what did one say to a statement like that? _Oh, what the hell. _"Me too," she blurted. A fire spread over her heart as his hand on the bar of his seat tightened, as if he were trying to compensate for not being able to embrace her.

"You know, I meant it when I said you were amazing. You should really consider taking up dancing in the future."

"I take lessons...but, well, I've never really thought about it," she winced at her own lie.

"Well if you ever want to come dancing with me, just call. I'll give you my phone number," he nodded. Still, she couldn't help but think she was missing something crucial, and she knew the ride was going to end soon – maybe it was the suddenness of the situation, or some desire to stop caring, but words began spewing out before she could think on it.

"Wait! I've always felt like dancing was something I could see myself doing too...but I know it's such a hard industry to make it in. I guess, well, I don't really think I have a chance. I haven't really, well, told anybody," her voice grew quieter and quieter. Meanwhile, a slow smirk was growing on Syaoran's face. As soon as she spotted it, she wanted to swallow all the words that had poured out of her. _Figures,_ she thought sourly, and steeled herself for the condemning words to follow.

"I want to get to know you more, Sakura," he said, more confident now. She reeled—she didn't understand... "I know a way for us to do that. Will you give it a chance?" he gazed at her carefully.

"What?" she furrowed her eyebrows at him.

"My full name is Syaoran Li," he seemed to be waiting for something, but of what, she didn't know. Sakura stared at him blankly. "You really don't know?" he asked incredulously.

"Well, obviously not," she muttered dryly. Syaoran chuckled, pleasantly surprised.

"I design and teach choreography for various celebrities – I do contract work though, so I don't really stay with one particular group," he relayed the information.

Sakura gaped.

"Are you _joking?"_

"No, I'm not," he took a deep breath, and his eyes wouldn't quite meet hers.

"Wait..." she breathed, "What- what exactly are you asking me to do?"

There was a long pause where he almost seemed to be pleading with her.

"I would like for you to be one of the dancers in a tour I'm doing with Tea Moraine," he finished.

Sakura couldn't say anything. Shock numbed her, and unconsciously, she gripped the chains of her swing even tighter. _This...this is what I've always wanted right? Then why do I feel...so..._

"I-I don't know what to say," she sucked in a breath, and Syaoran raised a hand to ruffle his hair.

"Well, ah, I don't really need an answer right away..." he trailed. "But, Tea would really like you too, I'm sure. I would like you too,"

The sky was a dizzying blue above her, but she almost didn't hear anything, didn't see anything except for those amber eyes that finally met her own jade ones, seeking an answer – and then the ride jerked to a stop. It lowered them until they weren't above the trees anymore, until their feet almost grazed the ground. The chains of the swings rattled quietly, but it seemed like the world just closed down, except for her and him swaying slightly from side to side.

"Hey! You two! Are you going again or what?" the ride attendant's voice pierced through the silence like a bullet, shattering the moment. And finally, finally, an onslaught of emotion hit Sakura like a wave, and she found herself talking.

"Don't...don't make me out to be some sort of prodigy, something to put on a pedestal or to be taken care of. When you come down to it, we're just two people, and where you are in life, the labels and positions that you get, they're not really who you are," she said unwaveringly, without really knowing why, but harboring a strange feeling that time was running out like sand sifting through her fingers. Unbuckling herself and lifting the bar off, she slid out of her seat and took a step towards Syaoran, who remained immobile and looking back at her with an expression she could not decipher. She desperately wanted him to understand, because it was important to her, but she didn't even understand herself—not really. "Because you're a dancer, that doesn't define your personality—that doesn't really tell me anything. I can observe you and guess what you're like, but I can never be sure until I get to know you. I want to look back one day and be able to say that I made it on my own, with my own talent and not because I knew somebody from the industry. So please..."

She felt like she was asking for the world, and at the same time giving up what she'd always wanted. But deep down, she knew that this was the right thing to do. "I guess I just want respect," she finished, realizing that this _was _what she wanted. But it was so much more than that. Careful, warm fingers closed around the hand that was clutching the end of her shirt. Looking up she realized that Syaoran had gotten out of the swing and was standing right in front of her, a quiet smile playing on his lips. He slowly pried her fingers away from her shirt and then lifted their joined hands up between them.

"This," he began, "This is what I want. But, I would never even consider asking someone to come on tour with me just because I liked them. When I said you had talent, I meant it, and I still mean it. You're amazing, you know that?" he gave a small, wondering laugh.

Sakura had the strangest feeling that he wasn't speaking of dancing anymore. She gazed, transfixed, at their hands clasped together, and then smiled shakily.

"Yes," she murmured. Syaoran's breath caught, and he squeezed her hand tighter.

"What?" he breathed.

"Yes!" she laughed, stronger this time. "I'll go with you,"

"Really?"

"Well, I have to talk to my friends and family, and do something about my schooling, but I'm pretty sure I can pull it off. Well, that is, I've always wanted to be a neurologist—"

"Wait, a _neurologist?" _He looked astonished.

"Erm, yeah," Sakura shrugged sheepishly.

"You know, dancing and being a neurologist are not exactly related..."

She sniffed disdainfully, but slid a glance filled with mirth to him.

"I couldn't care less."

"Good," he nodded.

"But, I'll have you know this is really a big thing so it's going to take a long time,"

"Tea's tour is in four and a half months, and you need to learn the routine. Is...that ok?"

Sakura was speechless. This was like a dream, and she hoped she would never wake up from it; she read somewhere that only seven percent of the people in the world got to live out their dreams and live their life to the fullest. _God, I love you. _She almost laughed.

_But thank you most of all for him._

Sakura wrapped her other hand around their linked hands and squeezed, leaning forward a bit more.

"Yes! That's-that's more than enough," the expression on his face was also more than worth it. "Your going onto the stage wasn't a mistake, was it?"

"...No," he admitted. "I didn't want to tell you the real reason, not yet anyway. One of our dancers had to leave for a family emergency, and we were having trouble finding another one that was good enough on short notice. Finally, we decided just to hold open auditions, and it was a _disaster. _So, I guess at that point this seemed like a viable option. As soon as you started dancing, I was sure you were the one, but I wanted to see what you would do if presented with an unexpected obstacle – so I went in."

"An unexpected obstacle?" Sakura raised her eyebrows incredulously.

"Well, yes, I had to test you somehow," he admitted. Upon seeing her expression, he hastily added, "Did I offend you? I'm s—" Sakura closed her gaping mouth and put a finger on his lips to silence him.

"Shut up," seeing his confused expression, she bit her lip out of habit. "Don't regret it, because I...really don't." Holding her breath, she wondered if he understood the full implications of her sentence.

He did.

Eyes widening, a faint flush rose to dust his cheeks. He moved closer and seemed to hover uncertainly for a moment, before lowering their locked hands and leaning his forehead on hers until all they could see was each other.

"Sakura," he breathed, "What are you saying?"

"I don't know. You tell me," she bit her lip, but this time his eyes didn't drop down, staying locked with hers as if he couldn't look away. "I've...I've never really done this before."

"Done what before?"

"Why are you asking me so many questions?" she muttered.

"What are you talking about?" he said innocently, and she pinched him. His eyes danced. "Just tell me, Sakura. Otherwise, you and I will never know what could've happened,"

She gave in.

"I thought that liking a complete stranger was like a myth. Only foolish lust-driven people believed in it and it was a definite recipe for disaster, because that kind of stuff just doesn't exist. I don't know, I still don't really believe it but," the warmth from Syaoran was seeping into her, and she smiled faintly, for something so small was giving her courage. She looked up and declared boldly, "When I was with you onstage today, I believed it. I really did."

She leaped off of that cliff, and waited for him to catch her.

"You—" Syaoran broke off. "Sakura..."

Her heart was pounding and she was terrified.

But in the next moment, she was being spun around and around, her feet off the ground and Syaoran's arms around her waist; he was whooping and she was going dizzy from being spun, happy, exulted, _alive._

When both of them became faint from spinning, Syaoran finally set her down and gazed at her with a soft smile. She staggered slightly.

"Syaoran, do you...do you really like me?"

"Well-that is," he swallowed, "Yeah."

A slow grin spread over her face – he was looking away from her again. She couldn't believe this. _Her, _she'd gotten this amazing person. The brain, the dancer, the class president, the nice one, the reliable one, the loud one, the quiet one, the bookworm...that was what she had always been. But now she was just Sakura, and he liked her for that.

And maybe, she was worth it.

Overcome with emotion, Sakura launched forward and hugged him tightly. But Syaoran, still unsteady and dizzy, was unprepared for the extra weight – with an unceremonious thump, they tumbled onto the pavement.

"Ow," Sakura moaned, rubbing her elbow. Beside her, Syaoran hefted himself up into a sitting position and sighed.

"My male ego has just suffered a severe bruising."

"Er, well you were dizzy right?" she snickered, and he threw a baleful glare at her.

"You know, you're supposed to comfort me, not make fun of me,"

Raising an eyebrow, she glanced over at him at the same time he looked over at her. Suddenly it all seemed so pathetic, both of them sitting there in a heap at some carnival after what was supposed to be a momentous confession. She began giggling, trying vainly to muffle it with a hand. Eventually, she just gave up and laughed outright, elbow throbbing and stomach aching.

Syaoran tried to look indignant, but soon he joined her under that blue, blue sky.

"Both of you!"

Their laughter cut off abruptly, and both of them looked up to see the harassed-looking college student pointing a finger at them.

"I _asked _you of if you were going again or not. People are coming back to the carnival so take your love fest somewhere else or they're going to see you. Not to mention you're clogging up the ride," she planted her hands on her fists and glared at them.

Sakura smiled guiltily, and didn't dare look at Syaoran. Inside, she was just a little appalled – _**love fest**__? Since when was laughing even remotely close to a love fest?_

"Sorry miss, we'll go now," Syaoran placated, standing up and offering a hand to her, which she took. He didn't let go. "Where should we go then?" he murmured to her as they walked through the gate and back into the carnival.

"Somewhere where I can't see _them!"_ Sakura suddenly exclaimed, aghast as she spotted the 'hokey pokey' guys lined up at the balloon popping stall.

"What?"

"They creep me out – asked me to do the hokey pokey with them and teach them how to dance in this really...well, _creepy_ way," she frowned as Syaoran began coughing in a conspicuous manner, steering her away from them and towards another stall.

"Come on, I'm going to win a stuffed animal for you. Besides, I'll protect you from those guys...you're taken now," Sakura felt warm as he grinned down at her.

"No way! I'm going to beat you at every stall, even if it's going to take all d—"

"What's wrong?"

"Oh no," Sakura breathed, "I forgot about Skye and Sherry."

"Well let's go find them then...you can introduce me. I'm going to have to take you to the industry people soon enough, so you might as well do the introducing for once,"

Swallowing, she held his hand tighter and scowled lightly.

"You know, I don't know if that was a good thing to say."

"You'll be fine," Syaoran suddenly let go of her hand and, taking her by the shoulders, spun her so that she was facing him. "You've got me now," his voice grew softer.

"Syaoran, what are you saying?" Unconsciously, she echoed his words from before, smiling up at him and sure that he could see right through her – her secrets, her desires, her heart. It wasn't love, not yet, but she knew that she really could love him someday. He slid his hands slowly down her shoulders and her arms, and then took her hands. With one quick yank, she was against him.

"I think I forgot to do something before," he murmured, and his eyes were a vibrant amber, hair tumbling down to partially cover the swirling colour.

"We're in public again," Sakura said, a lost reminder that neither paid attention to. "Your eyes are like a thunder storm,"

"Really?" he was close now. Biting back a smile, she let go of his hands and fisted them in his shirt...and in a swift, conscious realization, she knew that she wasn't afraid. Not anymore.

"What did you forget?"

"This."

And then his lips were over hers, his hands cradling her waist, and a fire was consuming her – but this one was a slow, gentle fire that roared in the way it burned at the same time it healed, until it settled deep into her bones...until she never wanted to leave. Hazily, she slid her arms around his neck, and blissfully thought of nothing at all except for the man holding her.

Because now she had her own romance book, and it was perfect for Syaoran and her.

-

**A/N: **I KNOW! You can kill me…honestly, I'm sorry it took so long to post this. But seriously, I had it done a long time ago but I just didn't really have the time—alright so a little laziness was also involved—to post it up. Thank you to all my lovely reviewers! **Please R&R. **But, there will be **one more chapter**! Well, a pseudo-chapter…it's going to be deleted scenes and little alternate scenes I've thought up for this story!

Please stay tuned, I really enjoyed writing this story, and I can only hope you enjoyed it as well, though I only really did because I was bored. Heh.


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